When the damage to a tooth is too extensive for a simple filling, a crown is often used. Dental crowns are porcelain or metal forms molded to the shape of your tooth and attached with adhesive. Crowns restore the appearance and function of your natural teeth, as well as keep your jaw and bite aligned, ensuring that other teeth don’t shift locations or take on a greater share of the work of biting and chewing.

Dental crowns may be made of porcelain, gold or stainless steel. Porcelain crowns are the most cosmetically appealing choice since they are color-matched to the exact shade of your other teeth and porcelain has the same light-reflecting qualities and texture as tooth enamel. Gold crowns are sometimes selected for molars, since they are less noticeable further back in the mouth. Crowns made of stainless steel (often called “chrome-steel crowns”) are not designed for long-term use and are generally reserved for use on children’s primary teeth.